Loose-leaf binder



Au 31 1943. J. w. F. BLIZARD ET AL 2,328,416

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER Filed July 28, 1942 A INVENTORS. /H 2f `/O//IV 5 M2450. 25m F76, 7 A N Patented Aug. 31, 1943 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER John W. F. Blizard, Rydal, and Charles G. Peters,

Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to National Fiberstok Envelope Co., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 28, 1942, Serial No. 452,586

(Cl. ,Z4-153) 6 Claims.

This invention has to do with loose-leaf binders, and is concerned primarily with the binders of the type in which a plurality of sheets are compressed between flaps of the binder in a detachable manner, thus permitting the removal from or the addition to the pack.

Binders of this general character are wellknown and have assumed certain conventional features that are fairly well standardized. It is common practice to employ a pair of complemental comparatively rigid backing sheets, each of which carries an inturned flap. These flaps are perforated at appropriate points and the sheets which are to be held and compressed between the flaps are perforated in a corresponding manner.

Heretofore it has been the practice to utilize metallic binding strips or tongues, which would pass through the aligned perforations. However, under present day war conditions, the availability of metals is greatly diminished, if not completely obviated so far as their use in products of this character is concerned.

Accordingly, the invention has in View as its foremost objective the provision of a loose-leaf binder of the character aforesaid, in which binder strips of a non-metallic material are employed. The invention havingT particularly in mind the provision of a binder including flexible strips of a material such as hard nish paperboard, ber, press paperboard, leather or the like.

The provision of a loose-leaf binder in which. the metallic binding strips have been replaced by fiber binder strips as above stated gives rise nl to certain problems and conditions which must be adequately taken care of in order to provide a binder that will meet with public acceptance. Thus provision must be made for anchoring one end of each of the binder strips at the relative outer side of one of the backing flaps. Likewise provision must be made for adjustably anchoring the other end of the strip to the other backing flap while under tension so that the edges of the sheets between the flaps may be compressed into a tightly packed condition.

Following these thoughts, a further object of the invention is the provision of a loose-leaf binder of the type above noted, which includes an anchoring strip peculiarly designed for cooperation with one end of each of the iiexible binder strips employed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a binder of this nature which also includes a compressor plate that is adapted for cooperation with the other end of the binder strips and in a detachable manner.

Further and more detailed objects and advantages of this invention are associated with the arrangement provided for establishing detachable connections between the binder strips and the anchoring strip and compressor plate.

Aside from the scarcity of metal which is one of the motivating causes of this invention, a binder made following the teachings of this invention will present distinctive advantages of simplicity of construction, ease of manufacture, and cheapness of production.

Various other more detailed advantages of this invention will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

This invention, therefore, comprises a looseleaf binder consisting of a pair of complemental backing sheets having perforated inturned fiaps, The sheets to be held by the binder are correspondingly perforated and flexible fiber binder strips pass through the aligned perforations. An

anchoring strip is detachably connected to one end of each of the binder strips on the outer side of one of the flaps and the compressor plate is detachably and adjustably secured to the other end of the binder strips on the outer side of the j other fiap. Provision is also made for tucking in loose ends of the ber strips.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the central portion of a loose-leaf binder which is made in accordance with the precepts of this invention. This View shows the binder in an open position.

Figure 2 is a Vertical section through the various elements of the binder.

Figure 3 is a detailed showing in plan of the compressor plate.

Figure 4 is a similar plan view of the anchoring strip.

Figure 5 is a detailed showing in elevation of one form which the binder strips may take.

Figure 6 is a similar View, somewhat fragmentary, of a modified form of binder strip.

Figure 7 is a similar View of still another modication of the binder strip.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, and first more particularly to Figure 1, 'a looseleaf binder such as contemplated by this inven- "tion is shown as comprising the backing sheets A and B. These backing sheets A and B may be made from any available material having the desired properties of rigidity and stiffness, the inventors having particularly in mind the use of liber board such as now conventionally employed in this art for this purpose. Each of the naps A and B carries 'an inturned flap I0 and these flaps ID are perforated 4as brought out clearly at I I in Figure 2.

While the illustrated embodiment of the invention shows each of the flaps IIJ provided with two of the perforation II, it is obvious that the particular spacing of the perforations 'andfthe number may be altered as circumstances dictate.

A pack of paper sheets are represented at I2 and are shown as having their edges clamped between flaps I0. These sheets I2 are provided with perforations I3 that are in alignment with perforations II. It is through the aligned openings II and I3 that the binder strips to be hereinafter described are intended to pass to establish the clamped condition of the edges of the sheets I2 between the flaps I II.

An anchoring strip is depicted in Figure 4 and designated I4. Adjacent each end the strip I4 is formed with a slot I5 that is enlarged centrally of the strip as indicated at I6. It is to be particularly noted that the slot I5 proper is in substantial alignment with the aligned perforations II and I3.

While a flexible binder strip passes through each of the aligned openings in the flaps and sheets, these binder strips are substantially duplicates and only one of them need here be described for the purpose of this specification. Accordingly, it is noted that a binder strip such as shown at II, is notched as indicated at I8 on each side 4at points spaced from the end I9. These notches I8 receive the edges of the anchoring strip I4 on each side of the slot I5. In order to establish the assembled relation, the strip is rst passed through the enlarged portion I6 and the free end of the strip is tucked in between the anchoring strip I4 and one of the ilaps I0.

A compressor plate is shown in detail in Figure 3 and designated 20. This compressor plate 20 is provided at each end with slots 2I having enlargements 22. It is important to note that the relative position of the slots 2I and the enlargement 22 are reversed in the compressor plate 20, as compared to the anchoring strip I4. The slots 2I are also substantially in alignment with the 4aligned perforations II and I3 and the exible binder strip II passes therethrough. The edges of the binder strip II are serrated for an appreciable portion of their length contiguous to the end 23, to provide a series of notches, any pair of which is adapted to receive the sides of the slots. This assembled relation is established by iirst passing the strips II through the enlargements 22 and then moving them laterally into the slots 2|.

Each of the compressor plates is also provided with an opening 24, that is disposed inwardly of the plate as compared to the slot 2I and spaced therefrom and a tongue extends into each of the openings 24. It will be noted that the exible strip I'I is continued along the outer face of the compressor plate 20 from the slot EI to the opening 24 into which it is tucked beneath the tongue 25 with the end 23 nally assuming a position between the compressor plate 20 and one of the flaps I0.

The particular form of the serrations which are made in the side edges of the strip Il to provide the notches is susceptible of wide variation. Figure 5 shows the strip II as formed with the semi-circular notches 26.

Figure 6 shows the strip Il as provided with the square shaped notches 2'I, while Figure 7 discloses the so-called saw-tooth notches 28. In each instance the essential requirement is that the notches be adapted to receive the side edges of the slots 2|.

With the paper binder assembled in the Inanner brought out in Figures 1 and 2, and it being desired to add to or detract from the number of the paper sheets I2, the ends 23 of the strips Il' are iirst withdrawn from between the compressor plate 20 and the adjacent flap I@ through the openings 24. The side edge notches are then slid along the slots 2I so that the main body portion of the strips II are received in the enlargements 22. The flaps I0 may then be spread apart with one of the flaps I0 being completely removed from the binder strips. The number of sheets I2 is then valtered as desired after which the binder strips I 'I are again passed through the enlargements 22,l and after the flaps II) are tightly compressed the notched portions are moved over into the slots 2l to maintain the established compressed condition. The free ends are then again tucked between the compressor plate 20 vand the adjacent flap E G by being passed through the openings 24.

While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a loose-leaf binder of the character described, the combination of a flexible fiber binder strip and an anchoring strip, said anchoring strip having a slot formed with an enlargement 'while said binder strip is formed with notches adapted to receive the side edges of said slot. said binder strip passing through said enlargement while said notches receive the side edges of said slot.

2. In a loose-leaf binder of the character described, the combination of a flexible iiber binder strip having serrated edges adjacent one end and formed with a pair of notches adjacent the other end, an anchoring strip including a slot and a communicating enlargement cooperating with said notches for establishing a connection with said binder strip, and a compressor plate formed with a slot and a communicating enlargement adapted for cooperation with said serrated edges to establish a detachable connection between said compressor plate and binder strip, said slot and enlargement in said compressor plate being reversed with respect to the arrangement of said slot and enlargement in said anchoring strip,

3. In a loose-leaf binder of the character described, a compressor plate formed with a slot adjacent each end thereof, there being an enlargement communicating with each slot, said compressor plate also being formed with openings, there being an opening in spaced relation to each of said slots, and flexible fiber binder strips having serrated edges adapted for cooperation with the side edges of said slots, said openings being adapted to receive the ends 0f said binder strips.

4. In a loose-leaf binder of the character described, the combination of a pair of flexible ber binder strips having serrated edges and a compresser plate formed with a pair of slots, each slot having an enlargement with the enlargements arranged outwardly of said plate, and being adapted to have said binder strips pass therethrough as a preliminary step to placing said serrated edges in said slots.

5. In a loose-leaf binder of the character described, the combination of a pair of flexible fiber binder strips and an anchoring strip; said anchoring strip having a pair of slots, each formed with an enlargement with said enlargements arranged inwardly of said anchoring strip; said binder strips being formed with notches which receive the side edges of said slots while other portions of said binder strips are received in said enlargements.

6. In a loose-leaf binder of the character described, the combination of a pair of fiexible fiber binder strips, each having serrated edges adjacent one end and formed with a pair of notches adjacent the other end; an anchoring strip having a pair of slots, each formed With an enlargement, With the enlargements arranged inwardly of said anchoring strip; each pair ci notches of one binder strip receiving the side edges of its respective slot, while another portion of said binder strip is received in said enlargement; and a compressor plate having a pair of slots, each formed with an enlargement, with the enlargements in the compressor plate arranged outwardly of said plate; said binder strips being adapted to pass through the enlargements in said compressor plate as a step preliminary to positioning said serrated edges in the slot of said compressor plate.

JOHN W. F. BLIZARD. CHARLES G. PETERS. 

